Program Requirements
This specialization will interest students who want to understand how soils and water interact within managed ecosystems such as urban or agricultural landscapes. The conservation and management of agricultural soils, issues affecting watershed management and decision making, and the remediation of contaminated soils will be examined. When taken with the Agro-Environmental Sciences Major and the specialization in Professional Agrology, this specialization conforms with the eligibility requirements for the Ordre des agronomes du Québec.
For information on academic advising, see:
Required Courses (15 credits)
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AGRI 435 Soil and Water Quality Management (3 credits)
Overview
Agriculture : Management of soil and water systems for sustainability. Cause of soil degradation, surface and groundwater contamination by agricultural chemicals and toxic pollutants. Human health and safety concerns. Water-table management. Soil and water conservation techniques will be examined with an emphasis on methods of prediction and best management practices.
Terms: Fall 2015
Instructors: Qi, Zhiming; Biswas, Asim (Fall)
Fall
3 lectures and one 3-hour lab
This course carries an additional charge of $30 to cover the cost of transportation with respect to a field trip. The fee is refundable only during the withdrawal with full refund period.
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BREE 217 Hydrology and Water Resources (3 credits)
Overview
Bioresource Engineering : Measurements and analysis of components of the water cycle. Precipitation, evaporation, infiltration and groundwater. Analysis of hydrologic data. Hydrograph theory. Hydrologic estimations for design of water control projects; flood control and reservoir routing. Integrated watershed management and water conservation. Water management systems for environmental protection.
Terms: Winter 2016
Instructors: Prasher, Shiv (Winter)
3 lectures, one 2-hour lab
Restriction: Not open to students who have taken ABEN 217.
Note: This course carries an additional course charge of $30.94 to cover transportation costs for two field trips, which may include a visit to a national weather station and a trip to gain hands-on experience on monitoring water flow in streams.
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SOIL 326 Soils in a Changing Environment (3 credits)
Overview
Soil Science : Soil processes responsible for soil formation will be studied and the impact of changes to the physical and chemical environment will be discussed.
Terms: Fall 2015
Instructors: Biswas, Asim (Fall)
Fall
3 lectures and one 3-hour lab
Prerequisite: A previous course in soil science, geography, geology or permission of instructor.
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SOIL 331 Environmental Soil Physics (3 credits)
Overview
Soil Science : This course addresses physical properties and processes in soil, state and transport of matter and energy affecting environment and agriculture (State: soil texture, structure, temperature, water; Transport: water flow, chemical transport, heat and gas flow), mass and energy balance in soil, effect of various environmental events on soil physical properties, management of physical properties and processes for various practical agricultural, hydrological and environmental applications including land reclamation.
Terms: Winter 2016
Instructors: Biswas, Asim (Winter)
Winter
3 lectures and one 3-hour lab
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SOIL 535 Ecological Soil Management (3 credits)
Overview
Soil Science : The physical and chemical environment of soil organisms; survey of soil microflora and fauna; processes and interactions in the soil-plant system at local and global scales; human impacts and management of soil biota; critical analysis and interpretation of primary scientific literature in soil ecology.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Complementary Courses (9 credits)
* Note: Students may take BREE 430 or ENVB 430, but not both.
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BREE 322 Organic Waste Management (3 credits)
Overview
Bioresource Engineering : An introduction to engineering aspects of handling, storage and treatment of all biological and food industry wastes. Design criteria will be elaborated and related to characteristics of wastes. Physical, chemical and biological treatment systems.
Terms: Fall 2015
Instructors: Clark, Grant (Fall)
2 lectures and one 2-hour lab
Restriction: Not open to students who have taken ABEN 322.
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BREE 327 Bio-Environmental Engineering (3 credits)
Overview
Bioresource Engineering : An introduction to how humans affect the earth's ecosystem and projections for the needs of food, water, air and energy to support the human population. Ecologically-reasonable coping strategies including biofuels, bioprocessing, waste management, and remediation methods.
Terms: Fall 2015
Instructors: Lefsrud, Mark (Fall)
Restrictions: U2 students and above. Not open to students who have taken ABEN 305.
This course carries an additional course charge of $9.52 to cover transportation costs for field trips which may include a solar installation site and if registrations permit, a bio-ethanol plant. The fee is refundable only during the withdrawal with full refund period.
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BREE 430 GIS for Natural Resource Management (3 credits) *
Overview
Bioresource Engineering : Applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial analysis techniques to the presentation and analysis of ecological information, including sources and capture of spatial data; characterizing, transforming, displaying spatial data; and spatial analysis to solve resource management problems.
Terms: Fall 2015
Instructors: Adamchuk, Viacheslav; Cardille, Jeffrey (Fall)
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BREE 510 Watershed Systems Management (3 credits) *
Overview
Bioresource Engineering : A holistic examination of methods in watershed management with a focus on integrated water resources management (IWRM). Topics include: integration, participatory management, water resources assessment, modeling, planning, adaptive management, transboundary management, and transition management.
Terms: Fall 2015
Instructors: Reilly, Kate; Adamowski, Jan (Fall)
(3-2-4)
Restrictions: U3 students or above.
Note: Case studies and a project.
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ENVB 430 GIS for Natural Resource Management (3 credits) *
Overview
Environmental Biology : Applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial analysis techniques to the presentation and analysis of ecological information, including sources and capture of spatial data; characterizing, transforming, displaying spatial data; and spatial analysis to solve resource management problems.
Terms: Fall 2015
Instructors: Cardille, Jeffrey; Adamchuk, Viacheslav (Fall)
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NRSC 333 Pollution and Bioremediation (3 credits)
Overview
Natural Resource Sciences : The environmental contaminants which cause pollution; sources, amounts and transport of pollutants in water, air and soil; waste management.
Terms: Fall 2015
Instructors: Whyte, Lyle; Basu, Niladri (Fall)
Fall
3 lectures
Restriction: Not open to students who have taken WILD 333
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SOIL 300 Geosystems (3 credits)
Overview
Soil Science : Interactions between Earth's various geologic systems and how these interactions lead to mineral and rock formation. Geomorphic processes and how various landforms are created by the interactions at the Earth's surface between the various geologic systems.
Terms: Winter 2016
Instructors: McCourt, George (Winter)
Winter
Restrictions: Not open to students who have taken SOIL 200. Restricted to U2 students and above.
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SOIL 510 Environmental Soil Chemistry (3 credits)
Overview
Soil Science : Soil chemical principles are presented in a series of problem sets covering basic concepts as well as applications to environmental and agricultural situations.
Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2015-2016 academic year.
Winter
Prerequisite: A course in Soil Science or permission of instructor
Restriction: Not open to students who have taken SOIL 410.